OAK GROVE, Mo. — An Oak Grove woman took something dark and grew it into something beautiful.
In 2015, Linda Lucas lost her 14-year-old grandson to suicide. Since then, she said she has had to find ways to channel her depression and loss into something that won’t weigh her down.
One of those ways is through gardening.
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She posted in the Oak Grove community Facebook page asking families who lost a child to suicide or fentanyl overdose what flower color they would want to represent their child in Lucas’ memory garden.
“Oh, Lord, I couldn't give you a number. We've lost children in Oak Grove,” Lucas said. “You never want to get that call that we've lost a member of your family, and my way out is creating something beautiful.”
Lucas said she planted flowers for a woman who lived in an apartment and couldn’t plant herself. She said she also handed out fliers about fentanyl awareness in the community.
“I do take all my energy and put it into something wonderful and beautiful. And that's just who I am," Lucas said. "There's too much hate in the world. We need to change that because I think the world would be better off with love.
"And suicide and hate is a disease that we gotta get rid of. It's very important. We've just, my family's been hit hard with the kids not being here.”
Lucas’s grandson would’ve been 23 on April 15.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues or suicidal thoughts and actions, text or call the suicide and crisis lifeline at 988.
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